Melvin l



M. L. SMITH.

WHEEL HUB.

(No Model.)

Patented June 8. 1886.

In? enior firwocuw 1/3 #11 The UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN L. SMITH, OF BATAVIA, NEWV-YORK.

WHEEL-HUB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,501, dated June 8, 1886,

' Application filed December 3, 1885. Serial No. 184,619. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MELVIN L. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Batavia, in the county of Genesee and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheel-Hubs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in wheel-hubs; and it consists in certain novel construction and arrangement of the various parts, all of which I will now proceed to point out and describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of a hub embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section taken through the center of the hub; Fig. 3, a vertical cross-section taken on line .10 m of Fig. 2.

Referring to said drawings, A is a central wooden hub having annular shoulders at a, said shoulders being equidistant from the longitudinal center of the hub.

B is a metal collar having the inner annular flange, I). Said collar is forced on the wooden hub until the shoulder 12 engages with the shoulder a. b are ribs which enter the wooden hub and prevent the collar from turning on the same.

0 are spoke-sockets projecting from the periphery of the collar B. Said spoke-sockets are made larger at the bottom and taper ontwardly. c are outwardly-projecting wedges in the bottom of the sockets, which wedges split the inner ends of the spokes when they are forced into the sockets, and render them less liable to pull out when there is any lateral strain. The sockets are also arranged on the collar so that the spokes will be staggered.

the collar rests against the inner edge of the collar B.

d are outwardly-projecting lugs on the collar D. Said lugs rest against the sides of alternate spoke-sockets on the collar B, and are secured to said sockets by suitable screws or rivets, thus securely fastening the collars together, and holding them rigidly on the wooden hub. The inner annular flanges on the collars engaging with the annular flanges on the wooden hub prevent said collars from moving in either direction.

In the construction above described I produce a wheelhub which is much stronger and more durable than an ordinary wooden hub, and which is lighter and can be manufactured much cheaper than a hub made entirely of metal.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The herein-described wheel-hub, consisting of a central wooden hub, in combination with two metal collars forced on said wooden hub from its oppositeends and connected by suitable screws or rivets, one of said collars having completed spoke-sockets on its pe riphery formed integral with said collar, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the central wooden hub, A, having annular flanges a a, with the metal collar B, having the .inner annular shoulder, b, and completed spoke-sockets O on its periphery and integral with said collar B, and the collar D, having the inner annular shoulder, d, said collars being forced on the wooden hub from its opposite ends and con nected with each other by suitable rivets or screws, substantially as shown and described. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN L. SMITH. Witnesses:

EUGENE SWANSON, J EROME O. GUITEAU. 

